News, Insights and Best Practices for Manufacturing in Mexico

Medical device company to open manufacturing plant in Tijuana

Surgical Specialties - a manufacturer of dental sutures and surgical supplies - is investing $11 million in a new manufacturing facility in Tijuana, Mexico. The Vancouver-based company announced Feb. 26 the new plant will help it meet a growing global market demand and increase its competitiveness in the industry.

"We analyzed several destinations and found that Tijuana has the strongest knowledge base and experience in medical device manufacturing, costs reduction, and immediate connectivity with major markets by land and sea," said Victor Diaz, president and COO of Surgical Specialties. "We also discovered an innovation ecosystem integrating San Diego´s R&D centers, and Tijuana´s advanced manufacturing platform, this combination is key for our company´s future vision of maintaining technological leadership."

The new manufacturing plant will span 173,000 square feet in Tijuana's business center, located about 10 minutes from the Tijuana-San Diego commercial crossing, the company said in a statement. The plant will initially focus on manufacturing blades and sutures for surgical use. The new facility is also expected to employ 9,000 people over the next two years.

Part of a larger trend Tijuana was recently touted as Mexico's "medical device hub" by the city's Mayor Dr. Jorge Astiazaran at the MD&M´s Executive Summit in early February. Five medical device companies have announced new projects in Tijuana in the last year alone and others have made investments in the area to expand current operations. About 45 medical device companies in total have operations located in Tijuana, Mexico. Manufacturing in Mexico has also become more popular in recent years as companies realize the cost benefits of operating in the country.

Local organizations like the Tijuana Economic Development Corporation helped the medical device company with its project plans, Surgical Specialties said in a statement.

"They not only provided us with valuable information from the local industry, but also facilitated the site selection process, shared directories of business services providers, and organized meetings with government representatives," the company said. "Tijuana EDC´s support is a valuable resource for companies looking to establish operations in Tijuana. We had an expert on each field looking on how to facilitate the success of our initial operations."

Mexico's medical regulatory environment is also more stable and more mature than other markets in Latin America, according to a new report issued by ReportsnReports. Mexico follows U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations, according to the report.